King Kelly vs Harry Stovey: Career Stats Comparison
Harry Stovey has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (3 further counting totals are shown but not scored). King Kelly played 1878–1893 as a hitter; Harry Stovey played 1880–1893 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
King Kelly (1878–1893) and Harry Stovey (1880–1893) — they debuted in the 1870s and the 1880s respectively and share 14 seasons. King Kelly finished with 1,813 hits and 69 home runs; Harry Stovey finished with 1,775 hits and 122 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Harry Stovey, in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who hit more home runs? Harry Stovey, with 122 to King Kelly's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS? Harry Stovey, with .822 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average? King Kelly, with .307 to Harry Stovey's .288.
- Who had more hits? King Kelly, with 1,813 to Harry Stovey's 1,775.
- Who drove in more runs? King Kelly, with 950 to Harry Stovey's 912.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Harry Stovey, with 29,690 career PIV to King Kelly's 27,425.
Harry Stovey
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for King Kelly and Harry Stovey. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. 12 of the 15 lines below are scored; the other 3 are shown but not scored. Games and at-bats measure playing time, strikeouts accumulate with a longer career, and a line where both players are at zero was won by neither, so those are left unmarked. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | King Kelly | Harry Stovey |
|---|---|---|
| Games not scored | 1,456 | 1,489 |
| At-Bats not scored | 5,896 | 6,153 |
| Runs | 1,357 | Leads: 1,495 |
| Hits | Leads: 1,813 | 1,775 |
| Doubles | Leads: 359 | 348 |
| Triples | 102 | Leads: 176 |
| Home Runs | 69 | Leads: 122 |
| RBI | Leads: 950 | 912 |
| Walks | 549 | Leads: 664 |
| Strikeouts not scored | 418 | 452 |
| Stolen Bases | 368 | Leads: 509 |
| Batting Avg | Leads: .307 | .288 |
| On-Base % | Leads: .368 | .361 |
| Slugging % | .438 | Leads: .462 |
| OPS | .806 | Leads: .822 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Harry Stovey edges King Kelly 29,690 to 27,425 — driven by per-season impact — 2,121 PIV per season to 1,714 — rather than by longevity, since Harry Stovey played 14 seasons to King Kelly's 16. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
King Kelly — top 3 seasons by OPS
Harry Stovey — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
Harry Stovey leads 7 of the 12 scored categories on the head-to-head card: runs, triples, home runs, walks, and others. King Kelly leads 5: hits, doubles, RBI, batting average, and others. On the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Harry Stovey. PIV agrees: Harry Stovey grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the King Kelly and Harry Stovey careers compare
The careers of King Kelly (1878–1893) and Harry Stovey (1880–1893) overlapped from 1880 to 1893, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The two careers are close in length, 1,456 games for King Kelly and 1,489 for Harry Stovey across 16 and 14 PIV seasons, so the totals compare on fairly even terms. King Kelly walked more often than struck out (549 walks, 418 strikeouts); Harry Stovey walked more often than struck out (664 walks, 452 strikeouts). Harry Stovey is the more power-leaning hitter, with 122 of 1,775 hits leaving the park.
King Kelly vs Harry Stovey: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, King Kelly or Harry Stovey?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Harry Stovey leads King Kelly in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Did King Kelly or Harry Stovey hit more home runs?
- Harry Stovey, with 122 to King Kelly's 69.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Harry Stovey, with .822 to King Kelly's .806.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- King Kelly, with .307 to Harry Stovey's .288.
- Who had more hits?
- King Kelly, with 1,813 to Harry Stovey's 1,775.